


Unread

by D_elfie



Series: Prompted Works [1]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: F/M, Gen, Heartache, Heartbreak, Letters, Love Letters, One Shot, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-15
Updated: 2018-10-15
Packaged: 2019-08-02 16:33:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16308761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/D_elfie/pseuds/D_elfie
Summary: In Antiva, Zevran receives a letter.





	Unread

**Author's Note:**

> I asked for a prompt and [Wellperhaps](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wellperhaps/pseuds/wellperhaps) gave me _unread_ and _Zevran_... and this is what I came up with.

There was a knock on his office door. For a moment Zevran contemplated ignoring it -- he just didn’t have the energy for another dispute or another request for his time. He hadn’t expected tearing down and rebuilding the Crows to be an easy task, but it was starting to catch up to him.

The knock came again.

“Enter,” Zevran said, letting out a quiet sigh as the door swung in. 

“Another one has been returned,” Zevran’s equivalent of a second-in-command said as she sauntered across the room. She dropped an envelope onto the desk, right into his line of sight. He didn’t want to look at it. It hurt. Every letter returned increased the ache in his heart. 

“Anything else?” Zevran asked, swallowing the pain down as he looked up at Silvie. 

“Nothing that can’t wait,” She said softly. She could read him too well. It made her an excellent addition to his new Crow organization. It also made her dangerous. Zevran made a note to work on his masks. 

“Thank you, Silvie. It’s late – go home.” Zevran smiled – brilliant and seductive and his best mask. She clearly didn’t buy it but knew better than to say anything. She smiled back, nodded, and spun on her heel. The door was closed quietly behind her.

Zevran stared down at the envelope. He turned it over, running his thumb over the unbroken wax seal. Unread. What was that now, six? Seven? All his letters were returned unread. 

He turned in his chair and tossed the envelope into the fire. There was some satisfaction in the way it caught fire and disintegrated. It felt like a metaphor for their romance – burning bright and fast and then disappearing just as quickly. 

Now if only he could figure out why. His birds had informed him that the Hero of Ferelden was safe and alive, so at least he needn't worry in that regard. So why wouldn’t she read any of his messages? 

When every last remnant of the letter was consumed by fire, Zevran turned back to his desk and picked up his quill. He held it over a blank page, hesitating. 

What was the point in sending yet another letter? Clearly, she didn’t want to hear from him. He knew she was upset by his return to Antiva, but he never thought she’d give him the cold shoulder... if only she’d read one of his letters.

The pen swished cross the page, the letters swooping and dipping elegantly. 

> _Mi_ _amor_ _,_
> 
> _I now fully expect this letter to be returned to me as the others has been. Each time my letters are returned, a piece of my heart breaks and it will not be long before there is nothing left of it._
> 
> _I know we talked of ending_ _things_ _so I could return to_ _Antiva_ _and fix the only family I h_ _ave known, but I did not think that would result in a ceasing of all communications. I can only hope you are well and that not reading my letters is to keep your own heart from being battered._
> 
> _The letters will stop as of this message. I have no my heart to put onto the page and will instead focus fully on my duties here. I will like to believe this was your goal, as painful as it is._
> 
> _I send to you all the love I have_ _,_ _mi_ _corazón_ _, and hope_ _one_ _day_ _we_ _will_ _meet_ _again_ _._
> 
> _Todo_ _mi_ _amor_ _,_
> 
> _Z_

The letter was folded, stuffed in an envelope and sealed in with wax. Zevran used a stamp with the image of a crow, so the Hero of Ferelden would have no doubts who the messages were from. Little good it did.

Zevran set the letter aside to be sent off the next day and returned to more immediate concerns. 

* * *

 

A month later Silvie once again dropped a letter in front of Zevran as he worked tirelessly at his desk. He picked it up and saw the addressee. With a deep inhale, he ran his thumb over the back and felt the wax – unread. Again. 

The letter was tossed into the fire and Zevran let it burn. Let the fire consume the paper and his love and the pain it caused. That was the end. That would be the last unread letter. It was time to focus on the Crows.


End file.
